The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

WOODSTOCK. 173
Roger Wildrake of Squattlesea-mere, Lincoln; not that you are ever like
to have heard it before, but I was captain in Lunsford's light-horse, and
afterwards with Goring. I was a child-eater, sir - a babe-bolter."
" I have heard of your regiment's exploits, sir; and perhaps you may
find I have seen some of them, if we should spend ten minutes together.
And I think I have heard of your name too. I beg to drink your health,
Captain Wildrake of Squattlesea-mere, Lincolnshire."
" Sir Henry, I drink yours in this pint bumper, and upon my knee; and
I would do as much for that young gentleman"- (looking at Albert)"and the squire of the green cassock too, holding it for green, as the
colours are not to my eyes altogether clear and distinguishable."
It was a remarkable part of what is called by theatrical folk the by-play
of this scene, that Albert was conversing apart with Dr. Rochecliffe in
whispers, even more than the divine seemed desirous of encouraging; yet,
to whatever their private conversation referred, it did not deprive the young
Colonel of the power of listening to what was going forward in the party
at large, and interfering from time to time, like a watch-dog, who can distinguish the slightest alarm, even when employed in the engrossing process
of taking his food.
" Captain Wildrake," said Albert, "we have no objection - I mean, my
friend and I- to be communicative on proper occasions; but you, sir, who
are so old a sufferer, must needs know, that at such casual meetings as this,
men do not mention their names unless they are specially wanted. It is a
point of conscience, sir, to be able to say, if your principal, Captain Everard or Colonel Everard, if he be a Colonel, should examine you upon oath,
I did not know who the persons were whom I heard drink such and such
toasts."
"Faith, I have a better way of it, worthy sir," answered Wildrake; "I
never can, for the life of me, remember that there were any such and such
toasts drunk at all. It's a strange gift of forgetfulness I have."
" Well, sir," replied the younger Lee; " but we, who have unhappily
more tenacious memories, would willingly abide by the more general rule."
"Oh, sir," answered Wildrake, "with all my heart. I intrude on no
man's confidence, d-n me- and I only spoke for civility's sake, having
the purpose of drinking your health in a good fashion."- (Then he broke
forth into melody) -
"'Then let the health go round, a-round, a-round, a-round,
Then let the health go round;
For though your stocking be of silk,
Your knee shall kiss the ground, a-ground, a-ground, a-ground,
Your knee shall kiss the ground.'"
( Urge it no farther," said Sir Henry, addressing his son; " Master Wildrake is one of the old school -one of the tantivy boys; and we must bear
a little, for if they drink hard they fought well. I will never forget how a
party came up and rescued us clerks of Oxford, as they called the regiment
I belonged to, out of a cursed embroglio during the attack on Brentford. I
tell you we were enclosed with the cockneys' pikes both front and rear, and
we should have come off but ill had not Lunford's light-horse, the babeeaters, as they called them, charged up to the pike's point, and brought
us off."
"I am glad you thought on that, Sir Henry," said Wildrake; "and do
you remember what the officer of Lunsford's said?"
"I think I do," said Sir Henry, smiling.
"Well, then, did not he call out, when the women were coming down,
howling like sirens as they were -' Have none of you a plump child that
you could give us to break our fast upon?'"
"Truth itself!" said the knight; "and a great fat woman stepped forward with a baby, and offered it to the supposed cannibal."
All at the table, Master Kerneguy excepted, who seemed to think that
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